MUMBAI, January 29: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking is not keen on lending money to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).In his BEST budget speech last week, Mayor Nandu Satam had stated that the public transport body should lend Rs 100 crore to the civic corporation since ``the undertaking's budget is a surplus one.'' The BEST budget for 1999-2000 showed a surplus of Rs 6.5 crore.However, speaking to Express Newsline BEST Chairman Arvind Nerkar said, ``We are ready to give loan to the BMC but giving interest-free money is out of question.'' He denied that the undertaking has any surplus money. ``First, let Satam prove that we have surplus funds, then we will think about it,'' he said adding that the BMC had not forwarded any written request for funds.Nerkar claimed that the BEST had presented a surplus budget only because the provisions in the BMC Act did not allow presentation of a deficit budget. ``We have to show a surplus of at least Rs one lakhand the additional Rs 45 lakh that the undertaking is forced to pay to the BMC every year on the directions of the state government,'' he explained.Ruing what he called the step-brotherly treatment meted out to the undertaking all these years, Nerkar informed, ``In 1990-91, when the undertaking had asked for Rs 45 crore from the BMC to pay the salaries of its employees, we were given the money in three instalments of Rs 15 crore each at the rate of 16.5 per cent interest.'' BEST had to refund the money in a year's time.The long pending demand of the undertaking to allow them to supply power beyond city limits is also pending. ``We are making profit only in the power supply side. Though we incur losses on transport, we are expected to provide services as far as Navi Mumbai and Thane,'' claimed Nerkar.An undertaking official added bitterly, ``Now when the BMC needs money, they are claiming that the BEST is a part and parcel of the BMC.'' He disclosed that the BMC never gave any concessions to theundertaking like providing land. ``We had to pay the market rate for the land BMC gave us,'' informed Nerkar. Besides, the BMC recently dereserved the 65 acre plot at Deonar ealier reserved for the undertaking to set up power generating plant.Despite assurances of an alternate plot, Satam has failed to provide land. The undertaking has to start power generation by 2002 because its agreement with the Tata Electric Company from whom it buys power lapses in 2002.Moreover, the budget for this year has already been approved and hence it will not be possible to give any money to the BMC. ``The surplus money has already been invested in the 12 funds compulsorily as laid down in the BMC Act. If money has to be given, we will have to make amendment in the Act,'' Nerkar claimed.
